'Drunk Driving Hit-and-Run' Doctor Sentenced to 6 Years → Released on Probation... Did 90 Pages of Apology Letters Work?

First Trial: 6 Years Imprisonment → Second Trial: 3 Years Imprisonment with 5 Years Probation
Court: "Considered Genuine Remorse"

A doctor in his 40s, who caused the death of a motorcycle delivery worker while driving under the influence and fled the scene, was sentenced to six years in prison in the first trial but was given a suspended prison sentence and released in the appeal trial.

Doctor A, who caused the death of a motorcycle delivery worker by drunk driving [Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 12th, the Criminal Appeals Division 2 of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Seok-beom) overturned the original sentence of six years in prison for doctor A (42), who was detained and prosecuted on charges of hit-and-run causing death under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, drunk driving under the Road Traffic Act, and failure to take measures after an accident, and sentenced him to three years in prison with a five-year suspension. In addition, A was ordered to perform 240 hours of community service and attend 40 hours of a law-abiding driving lecture.

The appellate court explained the sentencing rationale, stating, "Since an irreversible and serious result of the victim's death occurred, it is necessary to strictly punish the defendant," but also noted, "Considering that the defendant showed sincere remorse and reached an amicable settlement with the victim's bereaved family, the original sentence is somewhat heavy." The court added, "The likelihood of reoffending does not appear to be high," and "there is a need to give him a chance."

A was prosecuted for hitting and killing motorcycle delivery worker B (36) while driving a sports utility vehicle (SUV) under the influence of alcohol at around 12:20 a.m. on January 20 last year at an intersection in Wondang-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, and fleeing the scene. At the time of arrest, A's blood alcohol concentration was 0.069%, which is the level for license suspension.

A is a practicing doctor working at a clinic in Incheon and caused the accident while returning home after a company dinner with hospital staff. Investigations revealed that he was driving straight on a six-lane one-way road, crossed the center line, and collided with B’s motorcycle, which was waiting for a left-turn signal on the opposite side. After the accident, A drove about 500 meters further, got out to check the vehicle damage, then abandoned the car and fled. During police questioning, he stated, "I thought I hit an object, not a person."

B had been working for a delivery agency for about a year before the accident and was reportedly delivering hamburgers at the time of the crash. After the accident, B’s acquaintances appealed through a national petition, saying, "The perpetrator is a doctor whose job is to save lives, but causing an accident and fleeing is unforgivable," and "Please help ensure the perpetrator receives a strong punishment."

In the first trial last July, the prosecution demanded seven years in prison for A, and the court sentenced him to six years, stating, "The case is serious." Both A and the prosecution appealed the verdict. During the six months of the appeal trial, it was reported that A submitted more than 90 letters of remorse to the court.

After pronouncing the suspended sentence, the appellate judge separately told A, "The court deliberated deeply while reducing the sentence compared to the first trial," and added, "The reason for imposing a suspended prison sentence along with a high level of community service and law-abiding driving lectures is to have you reflect once again while fulfilling those orders."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.